Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Proverbs 12:9
[He that is] despised, and hath a servant, [is] better than he that honoreth himself, and lacketh bread.
9. despised ] Rather, lightly esteemed, R.V.; a person of no consequence, in the eyes of others, and perhaps (as in 1Sa 18:23, the word is used by David of himself) in his own eyes also, in contrast to him who honoureth himself.
hath a servant ] Notwithstanding his lowly position he is well enough off to keep a slave. Zebedee, though only a fisherman, had hired servants (Mar 1:20).
Another rendering (with a change of Heb. vowel points), is a servant to himself, works for his own living, is adopted by the LXX. , and by the Vulg., pauper et subjiciens sibi. Comp. for the sentiment, Sir 10:27 :
“Better is he that laboureth and aboundeth in all things,
Than he that glorifieth himself and lacketh bread.”
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Two interpretations are equally tenable;
(1) as in the King James Version, He whom men despise, or who is lowly in his own eyes (compare 1Sa 18:23), if he has a slave, i. e., if he is one step above absolute poverty, and has some one to supply his wants, is better off than the man who boasts of rank or descent and has nothing to eat. Respectable mediocrity is better than boastful poverty.
(2) he who, though despised, is a servant to himself, i. e., supplies his own wants, is better than the arrogant and helpless.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Pro 12:9
He that is despised, and hath a servant, is better than he that honoureth himself, and lacketh bread.
Domestic modesty and display
Vanity, or love of display, is one of the most contemptible and pernicious passions that can take possession of the human mind. Its roots are self-ignorance, its fruits are affectation and falsehood. The text refers to this in families, and when it takes possession of households it often destroys domestic comforts.
I. There are domestic comforts without display. In many an unpretending cottage there is more real domestic enjoyment than can be found in the most imposing mansions.
II. There is domestic display without comforts. Many sacrifice comforts for appearances. They all but starve their domestics to feed their vanity. They must be grand though they lack bread. This love of appearance, this desire for show, is making sad havoc with the homes of old England.
III. The condition of the former is preferable to that of the latter. It is better to have comforts without show than show without comforts.
1. It is more rational.
2. It is more moral.
3. It is more satisfying. (Homilist.)
Vain honouring of self
Amid the changes of this world, I have seen a man who, having known better days, had been nursed by luxury, and reared in the lap of fulness, outlive his good-fortune, and sink down into the baseness and meanness of the deepest poverty–in such a case it seems to be with men as with plants. Naturalists find it much less easy to teach a mountain flower to accommodate itself to a low locality than to persuade one which by birth belongs to the valleys to live and thrive at a lofty elevation; so there seems nothing more difficult to men than to descend gracefully . . . And thus I have seen such an one as I have described, when he had lost his wealth, retain his vanity, continuing proud in spirit when he had become poor in circumstances. (T. Guthrie, D. D.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 9. He that is despised, and hath a servant] I believe the Vulgate gives the true sense of this verse: Melior est pauper, et sufficiens sibi; quam gloriosus, et indigens pane.
“Better is the poor man who provides for himself, than the proud who is destitute of bread.” The versions in general agree in this sense. This needs no comment. There are some who, through pride of birth, &c., would rather starve, than put their hands to menial labour. Though they may be lords, how much to be preferred is the simple peasant, who supports himself and family by the drudgery of life!
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
That is despised; that liveth in a mean and obscure condition in the world, for such are commonly despised by men of a higher rank.
Hath a servant; hath but one servant. Or rather, is servant to himself; hath none to wait upon him or work for him but himself, that getteth bread by his own labours.
Is better, is happier, than he that honoureth himself, that glorieth in his high birth or gay attire, and lacketh bread, wants necessaries for his own sustenance.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
9. despisedheld in littlerepute, obscure (1Sa 18:23;Isa 3:5).
hath a servantimplyingsome means of honest living.
honoureth himselfisself-conceited.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
[He that is] despised, and hath a servant,…. Meaning not the same person as before, but one in mean circumstances of life; and because he has not that substance as others have, at least does not make that show and figure in the world as some; and mean in his own eyes, as Jarchi; and does not affect grandeur, and to look greater than he is; has just sufficiency to keep a servant to wait upon him; or, as some render it, is “a servant to himself” p; to this purpose the Septuagint; and so Jarchi and Gersom interpret it, who does his own work at home and abroad, in the house and in the field, and so gets himself a competent living. He
[is] better than he that honoureth himself, and lacketh bread; that boasts of his pedigree, and brags of his wealth; dresses out in fine clothes, keeps a fine equipage, makes a great figure abroad, and has scarce bread to eat at home, and would have none if his debts were paid; the former is much the better man on all accounts, and more to be commended; see Pr 13:7. And so, as Cocceius observes, the least shepherd (under Christ) that has ever so few sheep, one or two under his care, whom he brings to righteousness, and by whom he is loved, is preferable to the pope of Rome, who is adored by all; and yet neither has nor gives the bread of souls; and without the offerings of others has not anything to eat.
p “servus sibiipsi”, Montanus; “suiipius”, Vatablus; “sibimet”, Schultens.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
9 Better is he who is lowly and has a servant,
Than he that makes himself mighty and is without bread.
This proverb, like Pro 15:17, commends the middle rank of life with its quiet excellences. (like 1Sa 18:23), from , cognate with , Syr. ‘kly , to despise, properly levi pendere, levem habere (whence , scorn, disgrace), here of a man who lives in a humble position and does not seek to raise himself up. Many of the ancients (lxx, Symmachus, Jerome, Syr., Rashi, Luther, Schultens) explain by, and is a servant to himself, serves himself; but in that case the words would have been (Syr. ), or rather . would be more appropriate, as thus pointed by Ziegler, Ewald, and Hitzig. But if one adheres to the traditional reading, and interprets this, as it must be interpreted: et cui servus (Targ., Graec. Venet.), then that supplies a better contrast to , for “the first necessity of an oriental in only moderate circumstances is a slave, just as was the case with the Greeks and Romans” (Fl.). A man of lowly rank, who is, however, not so poor that he cannot support a slave, is better than one who boasts himself and is yet a beggar (2Sa 3:29). The Hithpa. often expresses a striving to be, or to wish to appear to be, what the adj. corresponding to the verb states, e.g., , ; like the Greek middles, , , cf. and . So here, where with Fleischer we have translated: who makes himself mighty, for , gravem esse , is etymologically also the contrast of . The proverb, Sirach 10:26: , (according to the text of Fritzsche), is a half remodelling, half translation of this before us.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
9 He that is despised, and hath a servant, is better than he that honoureth himself, and lacketh bread.
Note, 1. It is the folly of some that they covet to make a great figure abroad, take place, and take state, as persons of quality, and yet want necessaries at home, and, if their debts were paid, would not be worth a morsel of bread, nay, perhaps, pinch their bellies to put it on their backs, that they may appear very gay, because fine feathers make fine birds. 2. The condition and character of those is every way better who content themselves in a lower sphere, where they are despised for the plainness of their dress and the meanness of their post, that they may be able to afford themselves, not only necessaries, but conveniences, in their own houses, not only bread, but a servant to attend them and take some of their work off their hands. Those that contrive to live plentifully and comfortably at home are to be preferred before those that affect nothing so much as to appear splendid abroad, though they have not wherewithal to maintain their appearance, whose hearts are unhumbled when their condition is low.
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary
Honor Vs Shame
Verse 9 declares that the humble man who provides for himself is worthy of more esteem than the trifler who talks much of his greatness but lacks bread, Vs 11; Pro 13:7.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
CRITICAL NOTES.
Pro. 12:9. This verse is read in two ways. Zockler reads, Better is the lowly that serveth himself than he that boasteth and lacketh bread. Wordsworth agrees with this view. Delitzsch and Stuart render as the authorised version (see comments on the verse).
MAIN HOMILETICS OF Pro. 12:9
Whichever rendering we adopt of this verse the subject is the samethat of one mans allowing his vanity, his love for appearances, to rob him of all real comfort, and that of his wiser brothers preference of comfort to outside show.
I. The wise man who is despised. Men who have the moral courage to live in a simple style, and to labour with their own hands, will certainly be regarded with contempt by some, but by whom? By those whose good opinion and honour is not worth having. Children are taken with what is showy on the surfacethey have little regard for what lies underneath. They will be more delighted with a soap-bubble than with a diamond. But men look on things with different eyes. So it is only men and women of childish minds who estimate a man by his clothes, his house, or his establishment, and it is only such who will despise the first man mentioned in the text. If we take the common rendering of the verse, then this man is more useful to society than the other; for, instead of spending all his money on himself, he keeps a servant, and so gives another a means of living. For as it is implied that he does not lack bread himself, so he will not let those in his employ want the necessaries of life. Other things being equal, the man who, by a judicious use of his means, gives employment to others, is a greater benefactor to his race than he who spends his money in selfish luxury. At any rate, this man is a wiser man than the other, for he has the good sense to prefer the greater to the less. It is only obeying a natural instinct to satisfy the bodily wants, and to supply ourselves with all the substantial comforts of life before we spend money on things which do not, after all, add in the least to our real enjoyment, and yet the majority of men do sacrifice some of the former to the latter. He who has the moral courage not to do so shows his real wisdom. And by such a course of conduct he blesses others as well as himselfhe does something to stem the tide of passion for keeping up appearances which in our age and country is the fruitful source of so much crime and miseryhe, and he only, is the truly honest man, for he is content to pass for just what he is as to wealth.
II. The foolish and wicked man who honours himself.
1. He is a fool. Vanity is one of the most despicable passions that can possess a manit often leads a man to the most childish actions. No man of modern times was more entirely under its dominion than Voltaire, whose only aim in life seemed to be to gain that unsubstantial homage which afforded his spirit at the last such an unsatisfying portion. He did not literally lack bread, but he did find himself in his old age without anything which could give him any real comfort. The man mentioned in our text is so bent upon obtaining this false honour that he will lack breadsuffer positive bodily discomfortrather than not obtain it.
2. He is a sinner. He lies in action, if not in word. While he is resorting to the meanest shifts in secret he is trying to make people believe that he is much better off than he really is. By stinting himself in the common comforts of life he sins against his own body and against his Creator, for the Lord is for the body (1Co. 6:13), and it is mans duty to feed that house of the soul which is so fearfully and wonderfully made (Psa. 139:14). He therefore sins against himself and against society. It is worth while to inquire whether anybody will honour him after all his foolish efforts. God cannot, for He hates all hypocrisy. Men may, for their own interest, flatter him, and feign to respect him, but he will obtain no real honour, either from men like him in character, or from those who are better and wiser. I have read, says Thomas Adams, of Menecrates, a physician that would needs be counted a god, and took no other fee of his patients than their vow to worship him. Dionysius Syracusanus, hearing of this, invited him to a banquet, and, to honour him according to his desire, set before him nothing but a censer of frankincense, with the smoke whereof he was feasted till he starved, while others fed on good meat. Such smoke as this is all the return such a man as the one pictured in this proverb will get for starving himself, and for sinning against his own body, against society, and against God.
OUTLINES AND SUGGESTIVE COMMENTS
We give a few of the many renderings of this verse:
Better is he that laboureth and aboundeth in all things than he that boasteth himself and lacketh bread. Wordsworth.
This proverb, like Pro. 15:17, commends the middle rank of life with its quiet excellencies. A man of lowly rank, who is, however, not so poor that he cannot support a slave, is better than one that boasts himself and is yet a beggar. The first necessity of an oriental in only moderate circumstances is a slave, just as was the case with the Greeks and Romans.Delitzsch.
Better is the condition of the poor man, who has the means under his control of aiding his exertions for sustenance, than the nobleman, real or fancied, who is in a state of starvation. Stuart.
Each interpretation is tenable grammatically.
(1) He whom men despise, or who is lowly in his own eyes (the word is used by David himself, 1Sa. 18:23), the trader, the peasant, if he has a slave, i.e., if he is one step above absolute poverty, and has someone to supply his wants, is better off than the man who boasts of rank or descent, and has nothing to eat. Respectable mediocrity is better than boastful poverty.
(2) He who, though despised, is a servant to himself, i.e. supplies his own wants, is better than the arrogant and helpless.Plumptre.
Some do think it more miserable to be known to be miserable than to be so, and are more grieved to be disesteemed for it than to be pinched by it, wherefore they will feed the eyes of others with a show of plenty, although they have not bread to feed themselves. But he is better who, disesteeming the esteem of others and being servant to himself, does get his own bread, and is contented with it. For as lie is servant, so is he master also; and howbeit he serveth, yet it is at his own pleasure. And this is his comfort, that while he serveth himself he hath to serve his need and occasions, when he that honoureth himself is fain at last to live by others. Or else take the meaning thus: the ambitious itch of many is so great, and so disquieteth their hearts, that they can lack anything, even bread itself, rather than honour and preferment; so that when they are swollen big in greatness and dignity they are even starved in their estate, and have not of their own the next meal to feed themselves. But better is he, especially if he be a good man, whohaving to keep himself and a servantdoth keep within his means; and though he be despised by them that overlook him, yet looks upon himself with thanks to God that it is so well with him. And, indeed, how can this man but be better than the other, when his servant is better than the other is. For as Chrysostom speaketh, it cannot be but that he who is the slave of glory should be servant of all, yea, more vile than all other servants. For there is no servant commanded to do such base things as the love of glory commandeth him.Jermin.
The son of Sirach, who may well be called an interpreter of this book of the Proverbs, hath a very like saying to this where he speaketh thus, Better is he that worketh and aboundeth with all things, than he that boasteth himself, and wanteth bread (Sir. 10:30). Muffet.
When men are such slaves to the opinion of the world, they rebel against Him who makes no mistake in His allotments and often appoints a descent from worldly elevation as a profitable discipline (Jas. 1:10-11; Dan. 4:32-37). Yet it is hard, even for the Christian, as Bunyan reminds us, to go down the valley of humiliation and catch no slip by the way. We need our Masters unworldly elevated spirit (Joh. 6:15) to make as safe descent Let our moderation be known unto all men, under the constraining recollection, The Lord is at hand (Php. 4:5). How will the dazzling glory of mans esteem fade away before the glory of His appearing!Bridges.
Paul travelling on foot, and living on the wages of a tent-maker, was more respectable than the pretended successor of his brother apostle, with a triple crown upon his head.Lawson.
Fuente: The Preacher’s Complete Homiletical Commentary Edited by Joseph S. Exell
(9) He that is despised.That is, lowly in his eyes and those of others, as David (1Sa. 18:23); if he hath a servant, that is, if he be in easy circumstances. It has been remarked that the first necessity of an Oriental in only moderate circumstances is a slave.
He that honoureth himself.Boasts of his pedigree, it may be, and is all the while starving.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
9. He that is despised Lowly, little noticed, or lightly esteemed. 1Sa 18:23. It is a different word from that rendered “despised” in Pro 12:8. Perhaps it ( , nikleh) should be translated ignoble; that is, of birth or family one of the common people.
And hath a servant A sign of wealth and substance.
Is better Better off than he that honoureth himself; affects honour, wealth, nobility, aristocracy, and lacketh bread. The general sentiment is, Better is a man in medium circumstances, who has the means of sustenance under his control, than a nobleman who is in a state of starvation. So Stuart. “Respectable mediocrity is better than boastful poverty.” Speaker’s Commentary. The Septuagint reads the passage thus: “He that is despised and serveth himself;” that is, supports himself by his own labour; which makes a good sense, and is followed by the Vulgate, the Geneva Bible, Muenscher, Zockler, Conant, (“tills for himself,”) and others. The present pointing of the Hebrew does not allow of this reading; but a little alteration of the vowel points does permit it. The points give us the Masoretic or Jewish traditional interpretation nothing more. It is respectable, but not infallible. If the sense of the Septuagint is to be followed, Miller’s form of the words is preferable “is a servant to himself” as being reconcilable with the present Hebrew pointing. The Douay reads: “Better is the poor man that provides for himself than he that is glorious and wanteth bread.”
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
The Righteous Are Compassionate And Hard Working And Will Prosper, While The Unrighteous Are Lacking In Compassion And Slothful And Will Suffer Lack And Be Punished ( Pro 12:9-16 ).
The first three verses of this subsection deal with a man who is not too highly thought of, and yet (because he behaves wisely) is nevertheless prosperous enough to have a servant (Pro 12:9); a man who is kind to his animals (and thus gets the best out of them) (Pro 12:10); and a man who tills his land and has plenty of bread (Pro 12:11). He thus benefits from his wise behaviour. As a consequence he yields fruit both spiritually and physically (Pro 12:12), avoids trouble (Pro 12:13), talks wisely and is therefore satisfied with good (Pro 12:14), takes note of good advice (Pro 12:15), and hides his failings (Pro 12:16).
In contrast is the one who makes a lot of himself, but totally unjustifiably because he cannot even supply his family with food (Pro 12:9); who treats his animals harshly and thus gets little response from them (Pro 12:10); and follows the ways of the sluggard (Pro 12:11). As a consequence he wants to ape the ways of evil men with their false snares in order to make up for his own lack (Pro 12:12); finds himself ensnared by their evil talk (Pro 12:13); will get back what he deserves (Pro 12:14), ignores all good advice (Pro 12:15; and makes himself known for what he is, because, being incensed and having no restraint or shame, he reveals himself to be a fool. (Pro 12:16).
The subsection is presented chiastically:
A Better is he who is lightly esteemed, and has a servant, than he who honours himself, and lacks bread (Pro 12:9).
B A righteous man regards the life of his beast, but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel (Pro 12:10).
C He who tills his land will have plenty of bread, but he who follows after vain persons is void of understanding (Pro 12:11).
D The wicked desires the net (snare) of evil men, but the root of the righteous yields fruit (Pro 12:12).
D In the transgression of the lips is a snare to the evil man, but the righteous will come out of trouble (Pro 12:13).
C From the fruit of the mouth of a man he will be satisfied with good, and the doings of a man’s hands will be rendered to him (Pro 12:14)
B The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but he who is wise listens to counsel (Pro 12:15).
A A fool’s vexation (his being incensed) is presently known, but a prudent man conceals shame (Pro 12:16).
In A the humble and diffident man nevertheless reveals his hard-working status by having a servant, but he does not seek to be esteemed, whilst the fool ‘honours himself’, seeking esteem, even though his lack of bread reveals that he is concealing the truth about himself (e.g. that he is a sluggard). He is hiding his failures. In the parallel it is the shrewd man who hides his failures because he is ashamed of them (the shame he conceals might in fact be his hidden vexation), whilst the fool, because he is lacking in self control, makes his failures (in this case his bad temper) publicly known. In B the righteous man is kind to his animals, while the fool beats them unstintingly, whilst in the parallel the fool does exactly what he wants (thus he beats his animals), whilst the wise listens to the advice of others, and especially to wisdom and the Torah, which exhorts kind treatment of animals (Deu 25:4; compare Exo 23:4-5; Exo 23:12; Deu 22:1-4; Deu 22:6-7; Deu 22:10). In C he who tills the land diligently will have plenty of BREAD, whereas those who follow the empty-headed will go short, and in the parallel the former will be satisfied with good from the FRUIT of his mouth whilst the latter will get what he deserves. Centrally in D the wicked desire what the snares of evil men produce, and in the parallel are themselves ensnared by what evil men say. Meanwhile the righteous work hard and produce fruit, and because they do not listen to evil men they will come out of trouble.
Pro 12:9
‘Better is he who is lightly esteemed, and has a servant,
Than he who honours himself, and lacks bread.’
It is to misrepresent this proverb to suggest that it simply means that it is better to have low esteem and have food than to have high esteem of oneself and lack food, as though all that mattered was food. The point is rather that the former is prospering (he can afford a servant), and the assumption in Proverbs up to this point is that that is because he is wise. He has quietly got down to work without bothering about his reputation. But the latter is hungry, and this is because he has spent his time seeking to bring honour on himself, and in his arrogance has been lazy (and foolish) and thus lacks bread. Lack of bread has previously been, and continues to be, seen as due to the person’s laziness (Pro 6:6-11; Pro 10:4-5; Pro 12:24; Pro 13:4).
The first man may be lightly esteemed by his neighbours. He has not been concerned about his reputation. But he has been wise and has worked sufficiently hard to be able to afford a servant. And he has been able to hide anything of which he might have been ashamed (Pro 12:16). He has let his work do the talking. This theme of fruitfulness continues on in the subsection. He tills his land and has plenty of bread (Pro 12:11). His root yields fruit (Pro 12:12).
In contrast the fool thinks a lot of himself, and has sought to be undeservedly highly esteemed. He may even have spent a lot of time boasting about his hard work and his coming crops. But he has proved in the end that he is really a sluggard. He has followed those who have no real understanding (Pro 12:11). And this is something that he cannot hide, because ‘in the day’ when harvest time comes this will be known (Pro 12:16).
A suggested emendation followed by some of the versions is to repoint the Hebrew for servant as a participle, thus rendering it as ‘who serves’ (i.e. who humbly serves himself). But ‘has a servant’ is a more natural rendering, and contrasts better with ‘lacks bread’.
Pro 12:10
‘A righteous man regards the life of his beast,
But the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.
Going along with their attitude to work is their attitude towards their work-animals. The righteous man has concern for his animals (and possibly his servant). He is kind to them and looks after them properly as required by the Torah (Exo 23:4-5; Deu 25:4; compare Exo 23:12; Deu 22:1-4; Deu 22:6-7; Deu 22:10). In contrast the ‘wicked man’, the sluggard, has treated his animals cruelly, probably in order to make up for his own laziness. As the verse demonstrates reference to his ‘tender mercies’ is sarcastic. His way of caring for them has been to beat the life out of them, which would have contributed to his poor harvest.
Thus the wise man has acted in accordance with ‘counsel’ (Pro 12:15), that is in accordance with wisdom and the Torah. The foolish man has done what is right in his own eyes (Pro 12:15). He has ignored the lessons of wisdom and the Torah.
Pro 12:11
‘He who tills his land will have plenty of bread,
But he who follows after those who are vain is void of understanding.’
The lightly esteemed, but wise, man tills his land diligently and has plenty of bread (in contrast with the one who lacks bread in Pro 12:9). The man who has made a lot of himself has imitated those who are empty and vain, and has thus proved that, in spite of his boasting, he ‘lacks understanding’ (so he lacks both bread and understanding). Alternately it may refer to ‘what is vain (empty)’. He has followed after what is vain, taking labour-saving short cuts and hoping for the best. Sowing is much easier if you do not plough properly first, but it has disastrous consequences.
In the parallel Pro 12:14 the first man is satisfied with good by the fruit of his mouth. Instead of boasting he has been giving instructions and guidance to his servant about the tilling of his land. And consequently his field has been fruitful. And not only that, all that he says produces a harvest for him, raising his esteem and winning friendship. In contrast the boastful man will have rendered to him the doings of his hands, including his slackness in labour, and his mistreatment of his animals.
It should be noted that ‘his land’ probably consisted of strips in a field marked off by stones as landmarks. Most Israelites would not be rich enough to own a whole field, nor would the land tend to be divided into separate fields..
Pro 12:12
‘The wicked desires the net (snare) of evil men,
But the root of the righteous yields (fruit).’
The root of the righteous may mean his son(s), or simply the roots of what he has planted. Either way they ‘yield’ well (they ‘give, put forth’). He has no need to look further for his sustenance. In contrast the unrighteous man, aware that his crops are not doing well, looks around for means of supplementing his income. He turns his thoughts to dishonesty. He turns his desires on crooked ways of making up for his lack, on ‘the snare of evil men’. This snare is illustrated in Pro 1:11 ff. where the activity of the men of violence is likened to a snare. He thinks that what he cannot achieve by hard toil, he might achieve by violence. The desire to avoid honest toil is often the cause of crime.
Pro 12:13
‘In the transgression of the lips is a snare to the evil man,
But the righteous will come out of trouble.’
The word used for ‘snare’ often indicates the ‘striker’ in the snare which springs down and traps the animal caught in the snare. The ‘transgression of the lips’ may be the words of evil men who with them seek to trap the wicked man into behaving wickedly (compare Pro 1:11-14), but which can have no effect on the wise who will ‘come out of trouble’. This ties in well with the previous verse where the wicked man is dallying with evil men’s snares. Or they may refer to the words of the wicked man which he uses to seek to strike and ensnare the righteous. But if so it will fail. The righteous, because of his wisdom, will come out of trouble.
Pro 12:14
‘From the fruit of the mouth of a man he (one) will be satisfied (or ‘satiated’) with good,
And the doings of a man’s hands will be rendered to him.’
In contrast to the transgression of the lips of evil men is the fruit of the mouth of the righteous which will satisfy either he himself or men in general. The fruit of his mouth will cause him (or others) to be satisfied with good, indeed to be satiated with good things. This includes his guidance to his servant, and his exhortation to him to work hard following his own example, which will result in a good harvest, and which contrasts with the ensnaring lips of evil men with their get rich quick ideas. Or it may simply be saying that in general a righteous man will speak in such ways as will only result in abundance of good for him or for others. For only a righteous man can in general always be satisfied with good by what he says. An unrighteous man at times speaks evilly.
The second part of the proverb may be seen as of general application (which is what ‘a man’s’ seems to indicate) and thus signify that each man will have rendered to him the doings of his hands, whether he works hard or works lazily. However, the context with its continual contrasts, and the fact that the righteous man is simply also called ‘a man’ may indicate that this second part is speaking of the activities of the unrighteous man, with the implication being that he will receive the consequences of having lazy and harsh hands, lazy in effort and harsh in his treatment of his work animals.
Pro 12:15
‘The way of a fool is right in his own eyes,
But he who is wise listens to counsel.’
In the parallel to this verse it says ‘a righteous man regards the life of his animal, but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel’ (Pro 12:10). The righteous man has regard to what others think, he is wise and listens to ‘counsel’, that is, to what is said in wisdom and the Torah, where he learns that he must be kind to them and have consideration for them. Thus in Exo 23:4-5 he must assist even the overburdened ass of his enemies; in Deu 25:4 he must allow the ox who treads the corn to eat of it; and in Exo 23:12 he is to allow his ox and ass to benefit by the Sabbath ‘so that they might have rest’. Compare also Deu 22:1-4; Deu 22:6-7; Deu 22:10.
In contrast the fool ill-treats his animals because he ‘does what is right in his own eyes’. However, the proverb is not necessarily limited to this particular circumstance, for it also lays down a general rule that the wise listen to advice if it is from the right source (they even gladly listen to rebuke because they love knowledge – Pro 12:1), whilst the fool simply goes his own way doing his own thing.
It will be noted that Pro 12:15-16 are united by both referring to ‘a fool’, in contrast, in the first case, to ‘he who is wise’ and in the second case to ‘the shrewd’. The language repeats that continually found in the Prologue.
Pro 12:16
A fool’s vexation is known in the day,
But a shrewd man conceals (covers up) shame.’
We might paraphrase this as ‘what a fool is incensed or excited about he makes immediately known (or makes known when the time comes), but what a shrewd man is ashamed of he keeps to himself’. In other words the fool immediately makes known his folly because he has little shame, whilst the shrewd man conceals errors and tempers that he is ashamed of simply because being righteous he is ashamed of them. Unlike the fool he does not glory in them. He wishes that they had never happened. He will seek to rectify them, but he does not want them publicised.
But the probability is that it looks back over the subsection and declares that when the harvest comes (‘the day’) the fool has not worked hard enough and is thus vexed at what his field has produced, because that day has shown up the truth about him, whilst the shrewd man (the one previously lightly esteemed – Pro 12:9) has by his success covered up his shame and has thus grown in esteem. In other words the shrewd man covers up his shame by demonstrating that it is undeserved.
‘Vexation, excitement, being incensed’, in other words losing calmness and control, is in contrast to the calm, controlled state of the shrewd man. Such loss of calmness and control was despised by wisdom teachers. ‘Vexation kills the foolish man, and jealousy slays the silly one’ (Job 5:2).
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
v. 9. He that is despised and hath a servant is better,
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann
Pro 12:9. He that is despised, and hath a servant, &c. The passage may be understood; “It is better to be in lowliness and obscurity, and to cultivate one’s own little heritage, than to want the necessaries of life, through a foolish vanity, which refuses to labour.” It is not labour, but idleness which ought to cause shame. Calmet.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Pro 12:9
Ver. 9. Better is he that is despised. ] Viz., Of others, and hath no extraordinary opinion of himself, but sticks close to his business, and hath help at hand when he pleases, a servant at his beck and check. This was the case of Galleacius Caracciolus, that noble marquis, in his exile at Geneva for conscience’ sake. See his life set forth in English by Mr Crashaw.
Than he that honoureth himself and lacketh bread.
a Heyl., Geog.
He that is despised, and hath = Better to be little noticed and have, &c.
better. See note on Pro 8:11.
Pro 12:9
Pro 12:9
“Better is he that is lightly esteemed, and hath a servant, Than he that honoreth himself, and lacketh bread.”
“It is better to be an ordinary man working for a living than to play the part of a great man but go hungry.” “Better a man of low rank with a servant, than one who makes a show and has to do his own work.”
Pro 12:9. Instead of hath a servant, some versions say Serving himself (Septuagint); Tills for himself (American Bible Union version) amplified speaks of working for his own support. Pulpit Commentary: it is wiser to look after ones own business and provide for ones own necessities, even if thereby he meets with contempt and detraction, than to be in real want, all the time assuming the airs of a rich and prosperous man.
He that is: etc. Or, rather, as in the old translation “He that is despised, and is his own servant, is better than he that boasteth himself and wanteth bread;” with which the versions generally agree. That is, it is better to be in lowness and obscurity, and to support oneself by manual labour, than to want the necessaries of life, through a foolish vanity, or the pride of birth, which refuses to labour.
despised: Pro 13:7, Luk 14:11
Pro 12:9. He that is despised That lives in an obscure and mean condition in the world, such being commonly despised by persons of a higher rank; and hath a servant Hath but one servant: or, as the LXX. render it, , serveth, or is servant to himself; that is, hath none to wait upon him, or work for him but himself; that supports himself by his own labours; is better than he that honoureth himself Is happier, and in a better condition, than he that glories in his high birth and gay attire; and lacketh bread Wants necessaries for his own sustenance.
12:9 [He that is] despised, {c} and hath a servant, [is] better than he that honoureth himself, and is destitute of bread.
(c) The poor man that is contemned and yet lives of his own travail.
A better translation is, "Better is a man of humble standing who works for himself than one who plays the great man but lacks bread" (RSV).
"The point seems to be that some people live beyond their means in a vain show . . . whereas, if they lived modestly, they could have some of the conveniences of life, e.g., a servant." [Note: Ross, p. 969.]
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)